Catch

January 11, 2011

Today was another great day. Although the picture here is of me at the beach, my fun day was not at the beach but did involve some ball playing.

My mom took me for our early morning walk as she usually does and then goes into work. I usually wait in the crate in the car. Don't worry because she parks under the bridge for shade and leaves the back open and of course me with water to drink when I want.

Sometimes I get to come into the grooming salon but with all the dogs in and out I have not yet learned to contain my barking because if they are out I want out also. Adolescence ,, geeeesssss

Today's training or should I say my fun outing with my mom was just that, "fun". She had her pockets full of stuff, from liver for treats to balls on a rope to that biting tug.

She took me off leash on the training field and since I know this place well I did not run around sniffing and was a little hungry so stayed with her to see what was in store next.

Yep, the sits and downs. I have the sit pretty well down pat but the downs on the other hand were not so good unless she used her food hand to go to the ground. BUT,,, today I had a break through. Without her bending and showing me her hand I actually heard the word and did the down. I thought my mom was going to scream in joy. She was close to screaming with joy and made the biggest fuss over what I just did. Hmmmm, now what was that I just did to get mom so excited.

She tried a few more times and it got easier and easier for me to understand that the word meant what to do and not the motion. "oh"

For some reason she is wanting me to catch. We started at home with food. She says catch and I hate missing a good treat so that did not take me long at all to learn. Today on the training field she tried it with a ball. The balls are on a string so if I missed the ball I got the string. "whoops", but eventually I got the hang of it. She would throw one and tell me to catch and then show me the other so I would drop one and catch the next. I really liked this game.

Mom would then stand on the side of me and drop it over my head to catch and in front of me and all kinds of places. She only threw it to me when she was in front of me but dropped it to me when I was on the side. Hmmmmm,,, I am wondering why?? But never the less it was fun and the future will tell why.

Then we had a really fun game of 2 balls. She would throw one and I would dash out and run for it. Sometimes falling over myself and making summer salts as I was going so fast. Then mom would call me back and I would run back real fast because she showed me she had another ball to throw. Right when I got close to her she would say "drop" the ball I had and throw the other one in the direction I was headed. Sure makes me come back and go out fast. Love that game.

Mom taught me to let go of the ball into her hand by using her thumb and press down on my tongue. Works for me.

I know she wants me to let go of that tug toy like I do the ball, but oh my it is so much fun to try to bite and not have to let go. Today after telling me to let go and I did than tried to re-bite again she said know and gave me a little tug on the collar. Next time the same.. I have to keep trying to bite at it. It is like something inside me says bite, bite, bite.

Then I think my mom had a revelation. Hey the tongue touch worked so well for the ball, how about trying it with the tug. (not recommended for most humans as they can loose a finger). I am still a baby and have been working on this for a while so at least I start to let go or let go but come back to sneak in a bite.

Mom did this game with me a few times and she was so happy that I was being patient waiting
for the signal from her to bite again that she let me run around and around and then come back to play some more. The run around was on leash in big circles but I love to run and hold that raggedy ole tug.

We were both pretty tied by the end of our little outing so mom took me back to the car for some water and a little walk and our fun for now was over.

But when we get home I get to run in the yard by myself (such a big girl) and then mom comes out to plays fetch with me with all those crazy stuffed animals I have all over the place.